Car-coupling



(NO Model.)

GAR GOUPLING,

Patented A UNTTED STATES PATnNT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. HYIESTAND, OF LEAF RlVER, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,872, dated'Apz'il 26, 1387. Application filed February 14, 1887. Serial No. 227,481. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. Hrnsrann, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leaf River, county of Ogle, and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplers, but more particularly to a class of couplings known as self-coupler.7 Its object is to provide a reliable coupling of its class capable of use in connection with cars of ordinary construction, and in which the ordinary coupling-link and coupling-pin are employed, and capable of being uncoupled from the top or on either side of the car.

To this end I have designed and constructed the coupling apparatus represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an isometrical representation of 'a portion of a car with my improved coupling apparatus in place thereon. Fig. 2 isa vertical central section, lengthwise of the coupler, on dotted line a on Fig. 1; and Fig. Sis a horizontal section of the coupler on dotted line b on Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 1 is designed to represent an end portion ot' a railroad-car, which may be any of the known forms heretofore known or used, and the draw-head 2 may be of any suitable construction and attached to the car in any known manner to answer the purpose of a draft-head and bumper.

The draw-heads 2 and 3 are provided with the usual funnel-mouthed opening to receive the coupling-link 4, which is oi' the form in general use in coupling railroad-cars. The

draw-heads are also madewith avertical open.

ing to receive coupling-pins 5 and 6, which are of the usual form and are employed to connect the coupling-link 4 to the draw-heads in the usual manner.

The drawheads are each made with a horizontal opening, 7, above the coupling-pin, extending from the head end of the drawhead a suitable distance beyond the opening which receives the coupling-pin. Openings Sat the inner end of the openings 7, on both side edges thereof, extend farther in the'lengthwise direction of the draw-head.

Slides 9 and 10 are tted to the horizontal openings 7 in the draw-heads, in a free manner, and are capable of a limited endwise sliding movement therein. The slides 9 and 10 are provided with openings 11,to receivelthe coupling-pins 5 and o' freely, and in such position therein that when the slides are shoved into place with their outer ends in the same plane of the outer ends of the draw-heads, the openings 11 will coincide with the coupling-pin openings in the draw-head. The slides 9 and 10 are also provided with a lengthwise opening, 12, substantially equal in length to the endwise movement of the slide, and a pin, 13, passed into the head at a right angle, through the elongated opening 12 in the slide,serves to keep it in place and limit its endwise movements.

Springs 14 are placed in the openings 8 in a manner to exert their spring force to shoot the slide outward to the position shown at 2 and in Figs. l and 2, limited in their outward movement by the pins 13 passing through the slot 12, as therein shown, in which position the solid portion of the slide will be in position to support the coupling-pin in its elevated position, as shown at 5 and 6 in Figs. 1 and 2.

A rod, 15, connected with the coupling-pin 5,rises on the end of the car,and is supported in a suitable guide, and its end portion,extend ing above the roof, is made' in loop or other suitable form to be readily grasped by the hand of an attendant on the roof of the car to lift the coupling-pin to the position therein shown to uncouple the cars.

Sheaves 16 are placed on a horizontal linea proper distance above the draw-head-two near the center of the width ofthe car opposite eachother on opposite sides of the vertical rod 15, and one near the side of the car on- `each side in the same lateral plane of the center sheaves. I

. VA chain, 17, on each side, is connected at their inner ends to the vertical rod or to the coupling-pin, from which connection they rise and extend outward over their respective sheave-supports or their respective.` sides of the center of the car, and their` free ends de-Y their respective,

pend from the outer sheave on sheavesnpports, and their depending ends are provided preferably, with a ring, 18, to enable ICO an attendant to readily grasp the chain to enable him to lift thecoupling-pin to uncouple p the cars.

To prepare the cars to couple, an attendant by means of the center rod, 15, or the side chains, 17, or otherwise, lifts the coupling-pin to liberate the slide, which, when liberated,will be projected or shot forward by the action of the springs to the position shown at 9, Figs. l and 2, and will receive the coupling-pin and support it in its elevated position shown at 5 and 6 in Figs. 1 and 2, Which will place the parts in position to receive a car with the coupling-link and parts in the position shown in the draw-head 3; and when the cars are run together the slide will be driven to the position represented at 10, Figs. 2 and 3, when the coupling-pin will be free to drop to the position therein shown and make the coupling-connection.

From the foregoing it will be seen' that an attendant on the top of the car or on the ground, or on either side thereof, can uncouple the cars and place the parts in position to make the coupling when the cars are run together.

I claim as my invention- 1.- The combination of adraW-head, a coupling-link, a coupling-pin, a spring-actuated slide-support to the coupling-pin, and rod connected to the coupling-pin, extending abovev the roof ofthe car, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a draw-head, a coupling-link, a coupling-pin, a spring-actuated slide-support to the coupling-pin, chains connected to the coupling-pin, and sheave-sup-Y ports to the chains on the end of the car, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described car-coupling, consisting, essentially, of the draw-head provided with the ordinary link-opening, a horizontallydisposed slot located in the head above the link-opening, a spring-receiving socket projected from the inner end of the slot, a slide located inthe slot and provided with a coupling-pin opening and an elongated slot adapted to receive a retaining-pin, a slide-actuating spring seated in the said socket, the retaining-pin, the coupling-pin, and the link, substantially as set forth.

4. The herein-described car-coupling, consisting, essentially, of the draw-head provided with the ordinary link-opening and with a horizontally-disposed slot located in the head above the link-opening, and With a pair of spring-receiving sockets projected from the inner end of the slot, a slide having a loose iit within the slot and provided with a couplingpin opening` and With an elongated opening to receive aretaining-pin, slide-actuating springs seated in the said sockets, the retaining-pin, the coupling-pin, and the mechanism for op'- erating the coupling-pin from the sides and top ofthe cars, the Whole constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

GEORGE B. HIESTA'ND.

'Witnesses E. A. BERTOLET, MARTIN PIPHER. 

